Maple sap is a great source of natural sugar and certainly qualifies as home winemaking material. What is less certain, as you have found out, is how much of those subtle maple aromas and flavors will stick around in a finished wine. I’m glad you’re experimenting with adding acid. Like you’ve discovered, maple syrup just doesn’t have enough natural acid on its own to create a balanced finished product. Acid blends will usually have a combination of malic and tartaric acids, which better mimic a grape’s natural acid profile and will help contribute to a better eventual mouthfeel and refreshing “zing”. Lemon rinds, especially, (as it seems you’ve discovered) can contribute what is perhaps unwanted lemony aromas and flavors. Don’t forget that what makes a lemon “lemony” is all about that tiny, thin layer of yellow-colored zest on the very outside of the fruit. It’s after all why a martini “with a twist” can taste so citrusy with just a brush of lemon peel. The pith, or the white part underneath the yellow peel, is chock full of bitter and
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